The Golden State offers a world of wine well beyond just Napa.
California is synonymous with world-class wine, a sun-drenched landscape of rolling vineyards and beautiful estates that produce some of the most famous wines on the planet. A trip through one of its many wine regions is a quintessential California experience, a chance to relax, indulge, and enjoy the state’s legendary agricultural bounty. The options can be overwhelming, but certain tours and experiences stand out from the rest.
These are the wine tours that offer a truly special and memorable taste of what makes California wine country so magical, from iconic train rides to intimate, off-the-beaten-path adventures.
1. Ride the historic Napa Valley Wine Train.
This is the classic, old-world way to experience Napa Valley. You will board a beautifully restored, vintage Pullman train and enjoy a multi-course gourmet meal as you travel through the heart of the valley, passing by famous vineyards and historic wineries, as mentioned in California Wine Tours. The train offers a variety of tours, from simple lunch journeys to full-day experiences that include stops at iconic wineries like Charles Krug and V. Sattui.
It’s a relaxing, elegant, and incredibly scenic way to see the valley without having to worry about driving. It is a perfect choice for a special occasion or a romantic getaway.
2. Take a hot air balloon ride over Napa Valley at sunrise.
For a truly unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime perspective on wine country, a hot air balloon ride over Napa Valley is an absolute must. You will lift off in the cool, quiet air of dawn and float silently over the stunning, quilt-like pattern of the vineyards below as the sun rises over the Vaca Mountains. The views are absolutely breathtaking and offer a sense of peace and tranquility, according to Viator.
After your flight, the experience is capped off with a celebratory sparkling wine toast and often a brunch. It is a magical and incredibly romantic way to begin a day of wine tasting in the valley.
3. Go on a “Sideways” movie tour in the Santa Ynez Valley.
The 2004 movie “Sideways” put the Santa Ynez Valley on the international wine map, and fans can relive the film’s iconic moments on a dedicated tour. This beautiful region, just over the mountains from my home in Ventura, is famous for its Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. A guided tour will take you to the actual wineries featured in the movie, such as Firestone and Fess Parker, as stated on Travel Paso.
You can taste the wines that Miles and Jack argued about and have lunch at The Hitching Post II, the restaurant where Maya worked. It’s a fun and nostalgic way to explore this beautiful and unpretentious wine region.
4. Take a guided bike tour through Sonoma County.
Sonoma County offers a more laid-back and rural alternative to Napa, and one of the best ways to experience it is on a bicycle. A guided bike tour allows you to pedal at a relaxed pace along quiet country roads, through beautiful vineyards and redwood groves. Tours often include stops at several small, family-owned wineries that you might not find on your own.
The guides are local experts who can share their knowledge of the region’s history and its wines. A gourmet picnic lunch at one of the wineries is almost always included, making for a perfect day of gentle exercise and wine tasting.
5. Explore the unique wine caves of Napa Valley.
Many of Napa’s most famous wineries have built extensive caves deep into the hillsides to age their wines in a naturally cool and humid environment. Taking a tour that focuses on these wine caves is a unique and fascinating experience. Wineries like Del Dotto, with its opulent, marble-lined caves, or the historic caves at Schramsberg, are famous for their cave tours.
You will learn about the history of winemaking in the region and get to taste the wines directly from the barrel in a dramatic and atmospheric setting. It’s a very different experience from a standard tasting room.
6. Design your own custom tour with a private driver.
For the ultimate in luxury and flexibility, hiring a private driver and a luxury vehicle for the day is the best way to tour wine country. This allows you to create a completely customized itinerary based on your own preferences. You can choose to visit the big, famous “cult” wineries or ask your driver to take you to their favorite small, boutique producers.
A private driver is more than just a chauffeur; they are often a knowledgeable local guide who can offer insider tips and recommendations. Most importantly, it means that everyone in your group can relax and enjoy the wine tasting without worrying about who has to drive.
7. Discover the bold reds of Paso Robles.
Located halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, Paso Robles has emerged as one of California’s most exciting and dynamic wine regions. It is known for its bold, powerful red wines, particularly Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Rhône varietals like Syrah and Grenache. The vibe here is much more rustic and down-to-earth than in Napa.
A tour through Paso Robles will take you to a mix of large, modern wineries and small, family-run operations. The region’s warm climate and cowboy spirit make for a fun and unpretentious wine-tasting experience that is a world away from the polish of Napa.
8. Go on a sparkling wine-focused tour in Napa or Sonoma.
California produces some of the best sparkling wine in the world, and a tour that focuses specifically on these bubbly delights is a fantastic experience. In Napa, you can visit the grand chateaux of French-owned producers like Domaine Chandon and Mumm Napa. In Sonoma, the Russian River Valley is home to iconic sparkling wine houses like J Vineyards and Korbel.
These tours will teach you about the traditional “méthode champenoise” process and will include a tasting flight of their various sparkling wines, from crisp brut to delicate rosé. It’s a fun and celebratory way to explore wine country.
9. Take the wine safari at Malibu Wines.
For a truly unique and quirky wine tour in Southern California, the wine safari at Saddlerock Ranch in Malibu is a must-do. You will board an open-air safari vehicle and tour the sprawling, 1,000-acre ranch and vineyard, all while stopping to meet and feed the ranch’s collection of exotic animals, including zebras, giraffes, llamas, and water buffalo.
The tour includes a tasting of the local wines from the Saddlerock and Semler labels. It is a completely unexpected and incredibly fun combination of a wine tour and a safari, with stunning views of the surrounding mountains.
10. Explore the old-vine zinfandels of Lodi.
Lodi, located in California’s Central Valley, is the self-proclaimed “Zinfandel Capital of the World.” The region is home to some of the oldest Zinfandel vineyards in the country, with some vines dating back to the 1880s. A tour here is a chance to taste the rich, complex wines that are produced from these incredible “old vines.”
The tasting fees in Lodi are a fraction of what you would pay in Napa, and the experience is much more relaxed and personal. It’s a great destination for wine lovers who are looking to get off the beaten path and explore a region with a deep and authentic history.
11. Ride a jeep through the vineyards of Temecula Valley.
Southern California’s Temecula Valley is a beautiful and accessible wine region, and a fun way to explore it is on an open-air jeep tour. These guided tours will take you off the paved roads and directly into the vineyards, where you can learn about the grape-growing process and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the rolling hills.
The tours typically include stops at several wineries for tastings and often include a delicious lunch. It’s an adventurous and fun-filled way to experience this warm and welcoming wine region, which is known for its high-quality Italian and Rhône-style wines.
12. Take a self-guided bike tour in Carneros.
The Carneros region, which straddles the southern parts of both Napa and Sonoma counties, is a perfect place for a self-guided bike tour. The terrain here is relatively flat, and the roads are quiet, making for a safe and easy ride. The area is known for its cool climate and is famous for producing world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
You can rent a bike in the town of Sonoma or Napa and spend the day leisurely pedaling from one winery to another. It’s a fantastic way to enjoy the beautiful scenery at your own pace and to get some exercise in between wine tastings.
13. Discover the high-altitude wines of the Sierra Foothills.
The Sierra Foothills, the historic heart of the California Gold Rush, is also a fascinating and underrated wine region. The vineyards here are planted at high altitudes, which creates unique growing conditions for the grapes. The region is known for its rustic, bold Zinfandels and its excellent Italian varietals like Barbera.
A tour through this region will take you to small, family-owned wineries in historic gold rush towns like Murphys and Placerville. The scenery is beautiful, the history is rich, and the wine tasting experience is incredibly personal and affordable.
14. Go on a guided tour of a sustainable or organic winery.
For those who are interested in environmentally friendly farming practices, a tour that focuses on a sustainable, organic, or biodynamic winery is a fascinating experience. Many wineries in regions like Sonoma and Mendocino are leaders in this movement. A guided tour will take you through the vineyards and explain the principles of organic farming and how they create a healthier ecosystem.
You will learn about cover crops, composting, and how they manage pests without the use of chemical pesticides. It’s an educational and inspiring experience that gives you a deeper appreciation for the work that goes into making a bottle of wine.
15. Enjoy a wine and cheese pairing tour in Sonoma.
Sonoma County is not just famous for its wine; it’s also home to many world-class artisan cheese makers. A tour that combines these two local delicacies is a match made in heaven. Many tour operators and individual wineries offer guided wine and cheese pairing experiences that have been expertly curated to showcase the best of the region.
You will learn how the different flavor profiles of the wine and cheese complement each other, and you’ll get to taste some of the incredible local products from the “artisan cheese trail.” It is a delicious and educational way to experience the agricultural bounty of Sonoma County.